#still attached to the lanyard clip

[wizardnuke]

hyperspecific post but i saw a couple tags about it on the heat exhaustion post so. hey kiddos headed off to band camp in a couple weeks. drink water or gatorade on every single break. get a lanyard with a little folder for your music and map if it's not provided. if you haven't had a break in the usual amount of time, loudly complain about it. Wear A Hat. for the love of god practice your music while you're on the field. don't lock your knees when you're at attention. sit down on breaks/when your section is waiting as another section is going over sets. keep an eye out for yr friends. plan a coordinated attack amongst the lower grades in preparation for senior pranks. rise up comrades

[cuprohastes]

Lunch In Space (Part 4)

There is an old Human tradition. We keep it alive to this day. When things are Very Bad(tm), for example, your shuttle is about to perform a high-velocity Lithobraking Manouver, you invoke the Ancient Words of the Ancestors. Usually "Oh, sh*t".

I, as I'm sure you're now aware, am culturally sensitive, and cultured, so when chunks of Oscar started becoming Free Range and my life support lit up red, and Oscar's little Atrix-face started doing some very worried little colour combos, I took solace in this hallowed and time-honoured tradition and went with "Ru-ROH".

Now you may be thinking, gee, having your life support blow out while flying around the backside of a planet while everyone is too busy to come to pick you up is bad.

I mean, sure. It literally is.

But what doesn't kill you instantly gives you the opportunity for a really slow, horrible death so you can appreciate it so much more.

I took the life support unit off.

Counter-intuitive, but there you go. I jsut clipped one of my lanyards to the bottom attach point and released all the clips.

All the connectors that move all my various essential fluids and gasses are on failsafe connectors. They close automatically because it'd be super dumb if they didn't.

So now I'm just using passive insulation and things are going to get very hot very soon.

I turned the Life Support unit over and found a... Space Squid. 

I mean that's what it looked like. This conical, bullet-shaped shell,  with tiny little thruster vents, and then on the bottom of the cone, a bunch of little tentacles, sensor windows and what looks like miniature tools.

At first, all I saw was the shell so I grabbed it and yanked it out. I screamed jsut the tiniest amount when it wiggled its tentacles at me, but then it folded up and glared at me, and tried to puff away. 

My mighty human fingers of course were more than a match for this.

My mighty human Brain took a few more seconds to catch up because Oscar wasn't loaded with enough coffee for peak human cognition and I did a comical flail and found two more of the little suckers trying to eat through Oscar's skin.

"I Yeet Thee!" I told them and yanked them off and threw them in the direction of away.

The first little guy was with me but still sulking. I think it was out of gas, to be honest.

So that leaves me inside Oscar, who's rapidly becoming a sauna.

Luckily, I am just covered in tools, patches, and other Fix-things stuff so I started checking the life support pack.

Not good. Squiddy had already chewed some quite important stuff - the valves all closed, but now there's no way to re-circulate a lot of the air supply.

A bit about life support. It's not just a couple of bottles of air mix.

There are coolants, thruster gasses that you just top up while you work, water, which is circulated through Oscar's inner lining, the uh, Yellow and Brown lines, and then the Scrubber which is kind of a back-up and also means you can go longer without an umbilical, or without large air tanks. It also prevents the inside of Oscar from filling up with condensation.

So anyway, the thruster tank and the air tank were basically there but unusable.

Two of four of the batteries were cracked. They got isolated by the technical process of just pulling them out. They're not supposed to be dangerous, but why take the risk?

Oscar was a nice toasty 40ºc by the time I got the life support back on and I almost cried when the cooling started to pull out all that heat.

And then I almost sobbed because Oscar told me I had three and a half hours until station rendezvous and approximately two hours and twenty minutes of life support.

So I shut almost everything down. Inspection lights, most of the computing, interior displays, and after one last use, the uh waste processing.

That got me an extra 40 minutes of power. What else?

Well duh.

My power tools have bi-directional charging. I plugged them into my utility ports and hey OK, now I was only 5 minutes shy. OK.

So what else?

The Scrubber - It's running out of... scrub-ability.

There's a thing you can do that you should never, ever do, because it's suicidally stupid and bad. Honestly, I've always wanted to try it.

I turned the temp down past freezing and told the auto-doc to go to Oetzie mode. 

Now, this isn't an official process. It's one of the macros I've developed in bored moments - I submitted it to a couple of trade journals, both of whom told me I was a dangerous lunatic.

So I asked the Most Dangerous Human.

Miranda is a mutant. She burns 4000Kcal a day sitting still. Her IQ is supposedly about double or more than a normal Genius. She hates her life. Literally everyone in her species is kind of sad and bumbling and unable to grasp concepts she finds simple.

She lacks intellectual stimulation, and just craves novelty or anything that might make her feel for a moment, that she can be part of normal life.

When I met her she was running a comic book store. 

She's considered the most dangerous living human because nobody can figure out if she's going to take a nap, then re-write the rules of linguistics, develop an AI that will take over the Human race or stub her toes and decide to eradicate all living things in a Light Millenium.

As someone who's spent an afternoon shovelling food into her and listening to her do the most hilarious routine on why Comic Books should be weaponised, I can tell you that she has no more ill will toward anyone who doesn't write Justice Interplanetary than the common dog owner has for their pupper.

But Stever Aronnomis and Gixy Lurraine? Your days are numbered. Especially after Issue 17.

Anyway, Mir-Mir took about eight hours and re-wrote the Oetzie protocol, and got published in about 19 interdisciplinary publications. She was nice enough to credit me with the original work, and that got me a job and a weekly visit from the People In Black to check that I'm not also a supervillain or plotting to steal people's essential fluids to make Tsin sports drinks.

Anyway.

Oetzie mode gives you near-fatal hypothermia. It's not quite suspended animation but it's close as you can get while maintaining a really good chance of waking back up.

All I had to do was program a really simple little macro that would ping for immediate assistance and flag the file with re-animation instructions.

Already I was getting chilled. My teeth were chattering and I was trying to relax and jsut lket it happen. My littel budd the spac squid was stuill floting her. gabe it one o th deb bat  klklklkkkkkkkkkk

Ow.

Seriously. I was feeling very disoriented. Everything was too bright and I felt very woozy and my jaw ached, but apart from that, the pins and needles, the way all my clothes felt like broken glass and the uncontrollable shivering, I felt surprisingly not dead.

Also not in Oscar.

I was having trouble focusing my eyes, but hearing I could manage.

Two Tsin were discussing eating me.

Voice One: "Well he's dead. I say we just ask. You know Humans - it's either 'no, you can't because we have a whole bunch of traditions and sacred laws that cannot be broken' or 'haha yeah that's what they'd want' and then they ask you if you want some sauce."

Voice Two: "Yeah but... what if the othre humans get upset that we asked? What if they think we killed this one to get the meat?"

Voice one: "They were in an un-powered EVA suit with no air, and the life support running colder than the Caffeteria Freezer. I don't care what stupid plan they had, not even a Human can survive that."

This is it. The moment that I have been living for all these years. You always hope one day you get the chance, and now finally it's my time to shine!

I sat up and said "Do you two mind? I'm trying to get some sleep."

Their horrified screams were like a warm bath. Ahhhh!

[recurring-polynya]

I have to say that one of my favorite little aesthetic details in Bleach is the Lieutenant’s Badges. The captains have haori, this entire extra garment, which completely sets them apart immediately from other shinigami by shunting them into negative color space. A haori is also very widening, which I think really helps out guys like Byakuya and Gin who are naturally kind wispy. Its got their number on the back, which is almost like a joke, because if you’re seeing the back of a captain, it’s most likely that you’re lying on the ground in a pool of your own blood, and which one did it to you is a bit of a moot point.

Lieutenants, on the other hand, get armbands, which not only have their number, but also their squad flower. They come in one size, which is “burly dude who never skips arm day.” They are required for certain official business, like Emergency Vice Captains Meeting and...um... it’s incomprehensible, actually. Kubo absolutely does use the wearing of them for symbolism, for example, Kira and Hisagi pointedly did not wear theirs to the Battle at Fake Karakura Town, although the lieutenants who had not been betrayed by their captains did...and so did Hinamori. 

It also seems to be the case that you can wear your badge whenever you want to. It seems to be mostly the women vice-captains that do this, which is sort of funny to me, because they are enormous, and Rukia and Momo in particular look constantly in danger of getting theirs caught while trying to go through a doorway. I imagine this is because guys like Omaeda and Iba and Renji (king shit of not wearing his badge) are used to establishing authority through their physical presence and general volume, whereas lieutenants like Ise and Kotetsu prefer a more tangible symbol of their command. (I think that Rukia just wants everyone to know she’s a lieutenant 100% of the time). 

You don’t even strictly have to wear them as an armband. Matsumoto clips hers to her sash (which she ties in a non-standard knot) and Akon wears his on a fucking lanyard (I can only imagine he keeps his access card for swiping into the Squad 12 computer lab in a little pocket on the back side)

Anyway, none of it this is actually what I wanted to talk about. What I wanted to talk about, is what are the badges feel like. What is their heft, what is their texture? Going into this, I thought they would either be made of metal or wood, but in the course of doing this, I think Kubo original intended for the badges to be soft and then changed his mind. 

The first time we see the badges is the aforementioned Emergency Vice-Captains Meeting during the Soul Society Arc. I am very fond of the little character beat where Momo goes to Renji with her concerns about her captain, but look at her badge. It does not appear to have any discernable thickness, and the top actually seems to wrap into the armband. I was surprised by this, because when I think of the badges, my mental image is of this big, solid plate. 

In the next few panels, we can clearly see both Renji’s and Momo’s and they both look distinctly flexible. 

The next place I wanted to check was the scene Momo and Izuru find Renji’s badge after he took it off because was mad at Byakuya acting without orders. I wanted to see what a badge looks like when it’s not actually attached to an arm. 

So, to be honest, it wasn’t particularly helpful. The face-on perspective doesn’t give much idea of depth, although the hashing does give the idea either woodgrain, or embroidery, like a big-ass patch you could sew onto your Girl Scout sash. Note that in the above panels, Momo’s is still definitely wrapping over the top of her armband. Izuru’s is more ambiguous, but it has the same texture. 

I flipped through, trying to find more appearances in chronological order. This is the phase of the manga where we were being introduced to the Gotei for the first time, and there were a lot of splash pages of important characters. Look at this one for Matsumoto. Her badge definitely seems rigid, but it’s very thin, and it does appear to be curved. If I had this picture to go on, I would think it was a thin, metal clip.

This one, of Yachiru (OG of ‘you really couldn’t have offered these in two sizes??’) is the first one where I really get the sense of solidness that we’ll see later on.

Anyway, back to actual panels, here’s Nanao. Much like Rangiku’s, it now looks stiff, but still pretty thin. The side shot is very nice, because it gives the distinct impression that it has a lip at the top that loops over the armband.

Now, I want to contrast all these to the shots we see during the Battle at Fake Karakura Town. Kubo has finally gotten these down to a consistent style which is thick and without that little clip at the top. In fact, they actually seem to protrude out and away from the armband, notable at the top, which you can see clearly in many of these shots.

At this point, I was almost wondering if it was sort of an intentional change, an update. So I took a few looks into flashbacks. 

Here’s the oldest one: Aizen in Turn Back the Pendulum, and sure enough, it’s both thin and loops over the top:

Next up, Everything But the Rain-era Rangiku, with some very clear badge shots. I don’t think I had previously picked up on the fact that she used to wear it on her arm! I am so, so sorry for the part that’s in Isshin-Pervo-Vision, but you can see the top of the badge really well here, and it is both chonky and with top-clip. Hrmmmnh.

Now, here is the flashback where Momo and Izuru come to give Renji news of his promotion and...uh... it’s very clearly the protudes-over-the-top style. DOUBLE HRMMMNH.

If the Gotei actually wanted to do a badge update, the real time to do it would be during the 17-mo timeskip, so let’s move on. As it turns out, Rukia is the only one who wore her badge to the Fullbringer arc. There are lots of good shots of it, and it’s the thick, tall version everyone had at Fake Karakura Town. The coloring on this cover also suggest that it’s metal, rather than wood.

Badge-etiquette was all over the map during the Thousand Year Blood War, but it generally appears to be in the latter day style. I flipped through so much of the TYBW, looking for examples that weren’t Rukia, and I think Kubo was honestly just tired of drawing badges, because mostly whenever you can see them, they’re at weird angles or drawn in ways that you can’t discern much about their geometry. 

One thing I have noticed is that instead of the old hashing texture, Kubo has started drawing these sort of wavy, watermark-looking things on them. I wonder if they are supposed to indicated that they are shiny? 

Oh, here’s one I found of Yachiru’s badge, which like Renji’s earlier, is very hard to parse when it’s just sitting there, without a person’s arm for contrast.

So, what if any conclusions I have drawn? I do think they are metal, although I love the idea that they were supposed to be cloth for, like, half a day, and then Kubo changed his mind. I think they used to be thin and the top hooked over the arm band, and now they are thick and stick up over the top. I think that one flashback with Kira and Hinamori was just a mistake. I can offer no possible explanation for why they changed the badges after the Ryouka Invasion, but before the Winter War, but it looks like they did. Three captains betrayed the Soul Society and murdered our government and all I got was this updated lieutenant’s badge (and then Kira and Hisagi won’t even wear theirs).

BONUS: Here’s Mashiro’s Super Lieutenant badge, which I am 100% sure is not street-legal, but it is very shiny!

[crengarrion]

fuck it, we roll.

my bat bag fits two pens, two polar bear shaped note pads, cat paw shaped page divider stickers, a box of cat shaped paperclips, a handmade bag with shark print containing handmade wooden eating utensils and a metal straw, a tiny box of cat stickers, hand sanitizer, two narcan rescue kits, and a glucose monitor.

descriptions under cut and in alt text! i also provide links to products under there

nine images of a wheelchair and its decorations. the photographs are taken inside a bedroom.

image one: an all black quickie two wheelchair, from the front, with no arm rests. affixed to each clothing guard is a black leather strap with carabiner clips and smartdrive control buttons. the backrest has an "all delete wrestling" aew tank top sewn around it. the foot rests are swung under the chair.

image two: an all black quickie two wheelchair, from the left side. there are orange wheelbrightz brand LED string lights wrapped around the spokes of the left wheel. the lights are looped in a pattern that resembles a sakura flower. the foot rests are swung under the chair.

image three: a collage of two images. the left image is a photograph of the left bar connecting to the wheelchair's push bar, which has a sticker of a grey cat, one paw ahead as it walks.

the right image is a photograph of the right bar connecting to the push bar, which has a sticker of an orange cat paw with brown paw pads next to a grey cat paw with pink paw pads; the paws are raised in celebration. beneath the paws sticker is a pro union sticker, which has a white background. in black is a circle with white text reading "the world's best rat trap" on top, and "solidarity of labor" on the bottom. inside the circle is a black cat with a right paw on its chest. underneath is a qr code leading to the one big union website.

image four: a collage of two images. the left image is a photograph of the left side of the black smartdrive under the wheelchair, attached to the axels. there is a green, rectangular sticker on the side that looks like a one dollar bill, but reads "world championship wrestling", "wcw where the big boys play," "wcw monday nitro," and "one big boy buck." in the centre is a mascot of a tiger wearing sunglasses.

to the upper right of the big boy buck, covering the permobil logo under the smartdrive's power button, is a sticker of a grey cat facing a black cat with hearts over their heads. the right image is a photograph of the right side of the smartdrive. you can still see the cats in love sticker in the middle and, to the lower right, another union sticker. it is a white rectangle with black text reading "feel stuck between your boss, landlord, and the government? join the one big union. a better world is possible." underneath is a qr code for the one big union's website.

image five: a collage of two images. the left image is a photograph of the wheelchair's back left side, focused on the curved bar holding the pushbar. hanging from the curved bar, near the top of the backrest, is a wayne industries lanyard from the dc comics series batman. hanging from the recliner lock is a 1990s wwf survivor series keychain; "survivor" is written in red text and "series" in blue. an orange and brown cover has been knit around the recliner's hydrolic canister, and three pins are visible. the first pin is a spooky siamese cat with ghosts around it. the second pin is a black cat holding a knife. the third pin is a tiny, stylized skull.

the right image in the collage is a photograph of the same area, but taken from behind the wheelchair. under the survivor series keychain is another keychain. it is a plastic pouch full of air, with a blue and light red floral design and "demon dog treats" at the top. a similar design is at the bottom, but it reads "100% purebred," and jakken from inuyasha is visible in the lower right. inside the demon dog treat keychain is a chibi art of sesshomaru from inuyasha. he is sitting down, and surrounded by purple and white confetti. underneath, affixed to the orange and brown hydrolic cover, are two pins. the first pin is a white circle with black text reading "i have seen the future," reference to the limetown podcast. the second in is barbara gordon as batgirl, from dc comics.

to the right of the pins and beneath the keychains is another keychain. this keychain hangs from the leather strap securing a bag to the back of the wheelchair. the keychain is in the shape of a theatre ticket stub, and is made of cream coloured metal with a dark red trim. it is merchandise for the book series skulduggery pleasant. at the top of the keychain, it reads "opened in 1927." in the middle, it reads "hibernian cinema," with an outline of a cinema above the text. the bottom red trim has black dots that look like perforations and, beneath the black dots, it reads "admit one."

image six: a collage of two images, similar to the previous collage. both images are photographs of the curved bar supporting the wheelchair's push bar on the right side of the chair, opposite the previous photographs. the right image is taken from behind the wheelchair, and shows a black, hotel-style keychain hanging from the recliner's lock; it is rhombus shaped with rounded edges. this keychain has thin white stripes at the top and bottom, and it has red blood splatters. in the centre is a drawing of a wrestling ring with white ropes and a red apron. beneath the wrestling ring it reads "2300 arena," "2300 s swanson st, philadelphia, pa 19148." underneath that are the words "live hardcore wrestling" in a circle around a circle of barbed wire.

to the bottom left of the ecw keychain is another metal skulduggery pleasant keychain. it is also hotel-style and shaped like a rhombus with rounded edges, and it is dark blue. in lighter blue is an outline of a hotel, and the white text underneath it reads "the midnight hotel." below that, in smaller text is "anton shudder, proprietor." in even smaller text at the bottom and written in a circle is "sanctioned by the sanctuary." an outline of a skull is in the centre of the circle.

to the right of the midnight hotel keychain and beneath the ecw keychain is the right side hydrolic canister, which has an orange and brown knitted cover. affixed to the cover are two pins. the top one is a circular pin reading "transsexual, transgender, transgressive, genderqueer, two-spirited." the second one is a menacing jack-o-lantern with the androgynous flag, which is blue, grey, and pink.

the right image in the collage is a photograph taken to the right of the previous image. three pins and a charm in the shape of bats is affixed to the knitted hydrolic cover. the first pin's top text reads "black panther army," and the bottom text reads "panther power." in the middle is a panther. the second pin is red and, in black text, reads "i am an enemy of the state." the third pin is white with the flag of palestine, and text that reads "end the occupation now!"

image seven: a photograph of the back of the wheelchair. the push bar is detatched from the left side and hangs from the right bar, and many of the previously described keychains and pins are visible. between them, affixed to the shirt covering the back rest, are three patches and two pins. underneath those is a black, leather fanny back in the shape of a bat. the patches and pins will be described in the next image descriptions.

image eight: a photograph of the left side of the back rest, taken from behind the wheelchair. two patches and a pin are visible. the left most patch is an image of the wrestler rowdy roddy piper, and he is smiling with his pointer fingers pushed into his cheeks. he wears a white t-shirt with an angry panther head. written at the bottom of the patch, in yellow and red text, is "sooner or later, everybody pays the piper!"

to the right of the roddy piper patch is a pin. the pin is acryllic, in the shape of the 1990s wwf in your house logo. the font is fun and cartoony. at the top of the logo is the old wwf logo in yellow on a blue background. "in" is pink, "your" is yellow, "house" is blue.

to the right of the pin is another patch, it is black with white text reading "cero miedo". the c in cero is formed by a skeletal hand making the letter c with its fingers, and the m in miedo is formed by a skeletal hand making the letter m. this patch is merchandise for the luchadore penta el zero miedo.

image nine: a photo taken to the right of the previous image. it depicts the right hand side of the wheelchair's backrest, which has two pins and one patch affixed to it. the first pin is a bat holding an asexual pride flag in its feet; the asexual flag is black, grey, white, and purple. to the right of the ace bat pin is a patch of the wrestler, sabu. he is pointing up, towards the ceiling, and wears a white, loose gutrah (head scarf) and gold agal (head band) on his head. written at the bottom, in red, bloody, text is "the homicidal, suicidal, genocidal, death-defying maniac."

to the right of the sabu patch is a small, golden pin in the shape of the 1990s wcw heavyweight belt. spray painted over the usual design in the middle of the belt are the letters "nWo."

- end image descriptions.

links to available products:

clips

aew shirts

wheelbrightz

big boy buck and nWo belt pin - the pin was designed by marj

survivor series keychain, in your house pin, and ECW arena keychain

sesshomaru dog treat keychain

rowdy roddy piper, cero miedo, and sabu patch

asexual bat pin

androgyne jack-o'-lantern pin

gaza, trans, and anarchy pins

both of the union stickers were provided free by the one big union headquarters in western new york; the skulduggery pleasant keychains were obtained via kickstarter; the spooky siamese cat with ghost pin was free at hot topic; the wayne industries lanyard was purchased at five below; the black panthers pin was purchased at a street fair stand operated by burning books book store in buffalo, new york.

[flyfish1999]

For the character thing P3PHeroine?

thanks elle-p !!!!!!!!!! good luck with my character too ^_^)/ !! i feel like i totally don't talk about her (or tbh anyone outside of ryoji ...) as much as i should .. ! im gonna work to change that \o/ ! starting here :]c putting this one under a cut because it actually got suuuper long ^_^;; whoops !

favourite thing about them: she exists !!!!!!!!!!!! and she's so cool . she's like, devastatingly cool . both in her concept and just .. herself .... move over chad narukami losers !!!!!!!!!! especially in her exclusive links, her kindness and kick-ass-ness and depth comes out in full force and i love her so much for it. i know i'm a ryominahead, but i miss her everyday !!!!!!!!

least favourite thing about them: not her fault AT ALL . but aside from how underrepresented she is, i am still a firm believer that she should've received her own ryoji ... it's so sad, because i absolutely adore how they open up to each other, but i've talked to others before about how ryoji in her story as seemingly HER mirror just feels wrong, like he's transplanted from another place (which he literally is .. he's created in minato's image). i would've loved to see how her ryoji could've been more specifically shaped and changed by her quirks + her approach to her trauma

favourite line: "but, when i first saw him... he didn't feel at all like a stranger to me." "i can't explain it well, but it was almost like nostalgia.... or some kind of closeness." "i'm him, and he's me...?" it's criminal that q2 left it at this.

brOTP: junpei and hamuko is especially special to me ... more so than minato and junpei really . they bounce off of each other so well, + the extended/enhanced arc where junpei is kind of misogynistic to her alongside the leader jealousy and how that develops is so cool T_T

OTP: HAMUAIGIS 4EVER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! aigis im so sorry yr girlfriend is still in the vault . can you imagine femc the answer . would destroy my soul .

nOTP: her + junpei . .. maybe im a little hater but the GAME doesnt even let you do it lmao ...! it means a lot to me that they're best friends . other than that, i'd say she fits cutely with nearly everyone else just like minato does !

random headcanon: okay lets be real . am i stupid ? where does her mp3 player attach ? it just kind of hangs out in midair while minato obviously hangs it on a lanyard . i like to think she's a bit more crafty with it !!! clipping it onto the zipper of her uniform or her scarf or keeping it on a wristband etc ^_^

unpopular opinion: gwa ........... i should just own this i think, even if people disagree !! in my opinion ... femc is supplementary content. and that means you should not be playing her route as your first experience in persona 3. just like how i believe you shouldn't read the manga or watch the movies before playing the game. you need to play the male route first. the way she presents the game's themes through her character and modified story is designed to be in direct opposition and contract with minato's route, and enhances both routes to that effect and can totally change your experience when viewing your previous playthrough of the male route and your current route as her through the lens she teaches the player. in a sad sort of way, i am kind of happy reload hasn't enforced this idea that femc is just one of two ways to experience p3 . this isn't a character select .. she's more like a perfect ng+ to me .

song i associate them with: back to the lighthearted stuff ! cop car by mitski ^_^ easiest answer so far !

favourite picture of them: either this [below], the cover of persona compilation II, or either of the persona music live/tour 2009 and 2010 artworks ! i'm a shin apologist though, so take that with a grain of salt ;] i really love how she's shown in opposition with narukami here, how he's looking straight at her but she's not meeting his eye . i would really love to see these two together more !

[sleepvines]

hows the cane going :D? Im looking into one myself and I'm curious how helpful it is. Thanks if you decide to answer and hope your day is going well. :)

Hi! Thank you it's going well :]

still getting used to the wrist impact but it's manageable! You'll mainly feel it right in the joint, so stretch plenty. we've got the walking motion down pretty smoothly, and also figured out a bootleg shoulder strap (clip on lanyard) so it's easier to use both hands for something when necessary or take a break to stretch.

As for the alleviation on the feet, it feels like my bunion isn't as sore as usual. (yay!) My heel does still hurt from today's activities, but that's expected. Both heels tend to hurt. We went out walking for like 5 hours at a mall (sort of to test it out but mainly to have a nice outing) going up and down stairs, on uneven terrain, escalators, etc. James even bought a little good luck charm from a nice old lady (it's just after Lunar New Year, so it felt fitting.)

Here are some pictures! Feat. the cane "in use" outside and leaning against the wall back home. I'm stupid attached to this thing already

[bitchapalooza]

I found the PERFECT bag for a pokemon ita bag and it arrived today! I couldn't believe I actually found this Amazon tho lol

Rambling under the thingie~

I wanna get a few pikachu buttons/pins, especially to fill in the gap uptop where the meowths are pinned down(unless i take the one I made out of there, idk yet), and get some swsh charms and pins I've been looking at for a while— then the inside of the bag'll be complete! I wanna try finding a large enough pokeball or pikachu button to go on top of that bunny engraving(?) there and if not then try to get some good quality fabric paint to make it either of the before mentioned. I gotta attach a new clip to my Kabu plush and after I do, he's gonna be added to one of the zippers(and hopefully I can find some way to keep him there, like maybe use a safety pin like I do with the buttons on my lanyard). Then I wanna get at least two more plush keychains, one of which I already have picked out(if it's still in stock). Then I think it'll be completely absolutely done! :)

I don't like things overlapping but if I do that I MAY be able to fit more in, I know that, but hrngh. It makes me uncomfy ú~ù

[woolieshubris]

my tamagotchi UNI review:

im so sorry its going to be long...

TL;DR it's good :3 if u want a color tamagotchi and don't mind spending 60 dollars (about what you'd pay for an after market tamagotchi ON/MEETS) i'd highly recommend it!

full review below cut

Aesthetics:

Let's be honest, the aesthetics make sense, but are still a tad disappointing none the less. they are going for a more gender neutral vibe this time around + trying to make it more similar to the way that the original tamagotchi shells look, rather than going for the hyperfem aesthetic, which I can appreciate. I just wish they made them more interesting. give me my glitter!!!!!!!!

Form Factor:

It is very much built to be played with the watch case on. Not a bad idea- but outside of the case, the buttons stick out quite a bit. I just hope they produce an official case that doesn't have the watch band attached- I'd love to be able to clip it onto my belt loop! I'm sooooo glad they continued with the rechargable battery, because it makes it so much smaller and better. It's even smaller than the smart- which to be honest, I wasn't expecting.

Engineering:

I'm so fucking glad they brought back the 3 buttons. They make it so much easier to navigate the menus. I got pretty used to the Pix's touch capacitive buttons though, and I wouldn't have minded them here- but I do understand that they were extremely hit or miss with people. (I do miss being able to do swipe gestures though. I guess that just means I need to play with the pix more.) I'm honestly incredibly glad they didn't do the touch screen here, because after playing with my smart for about a year on and off, the screen gets really dirty really fast. (not to mention the discoloration.) I'm also glad that on the official tamagotchi shell they didn't include any silicone- this pretty much solves the discoloration issue, and I hope that they sell more watch bands in even more colors. I dislike the placement of the lanyard/charm hole, I never really liked it being on the back, it should be on the side- otherwise it has a tendency to hit things, but I can understand putting it there. I do wish they upped the speaker quality though, the 16 dollar gigapet shouldn't have better speakers than the 60 UNI. I'll probably turn off the sound after a while. The speakers do their job regardless, since the tamagotchi has continued to stick to their guns and not have it play any noise other than beeps at various pitches. ALSO. USB C CHARGING IS A GAME CHANGER FOR REAL.

UI Design/Region:

The fact that this tamagotchi is not region locked is amazing. all tamagotchi UNI's share the same programming, and on startup you can pick whatever language and whatever server you want. The menus are pretty simple and not confusing, and I like a lot of the choices they made. It's not my favorite UI from a tamagotchi, but it's perfectly serviceable.

Gameplay:

It's cute! It's tamagotchi gameplay. Seems like they brought a bunch of fan favorite features back- having pets, marriages ect. I also like that each tamagotchi has a specific personality that you help them develop. I think that's really sweet. Also, being able to hold 4 accessories at once is a great way to be able to decorate the tamagotchi! I like that they added more places to go- the pix was really missing that. The games are fun and interesting, and I really like the way they use the gyroscope in some games. The growth chart seems like theres elements we haven't discovered yet which cause certain characters, so I'm curious as to see how it pans out. There's still a lot of mystery surrounding the gameplay!

Online Functionality:

The online functionality is scary to me, since I'm worried about the ability to push out updates. I haven't run into any bugs, so it seems like it'll mostly be used to push content updates? But I'm not entirely sure. I do like having the codes be exclusive, (I'm sure the modding scene will be able to find ways to automatically hack in certain items) because the PIX's QR code system made me a little bit sad with how easy it was to get any item in the game. It seems like there are also more items in this game as well. I do think the online functionality could be a really useful gateway for the modding scene, and the fact that the tamagotchi can download updates and items from the internet (not just backgrounds like the ON/Meets) is super exciting. I'm very excited to see what comes next. It is slightly worrying that bandai could in theory patch out any modding/hacking entrances, but also this is bandai we are talking about and they only really care about each tamagotchi model for about 2-3 years before phasing it out. (Though to be fair the Pix and Smart were smaller releases- they kept support for the Meets for 4 years)

OVERALL REVIEW: it's good :3 if u are a tamagotchi fan and have the money it's a must buy imo! I can def see it becoming a fan favorite down the line, esp if they release some extra lines with fun designs.

[climbingropedf]

A lanyard is traditional with small electronics

A lanyard is definitely an attachment used to require keys, badges, and various items to a specific thing. They are generally Industrial Safety Harnesses Belts used for collection or restraint, so are sometimes made with different materials, as well as nylon, polyester, silk, silk, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). That name 'lanyard' appeared to be coined by Wedgwood, Hensleigh in 1855, when he / she published a book on false etymologies. A lanyard is traditional with small electronics, such as mobile devices and other convenient electronic devices, to help keep them safe coming from dropping or becoming dropped. Most lanyards are attached with the device via a hole on the conclusion, called the cow hinderance. In some conditions, the strand can also be used as any headphone cord, and several earphones incorporate the actual audio signal to the ring. A popular example may be the Wii Remote wrist strap, which keeps it in place even during vigorous work out plans. Many lanyards will be custom-printed with art logos of businesses in addition to events. You could print these logos with screen-printing, Jacquard loom weaving, or offset printing. Luckily they are used to attach keys and other small objects into a lanyard for single handed access. However, you must order 10 pieces or more to purchase this product or service. There is simply no minimum order number. In addition, lanyards work extremely well as key chains. A lanyard can be a versatile attachment for a device. It can be used to pick up serious objects, hold gear, and secure other gear. It is additionally helpful for obtaining objects, so you should use it to make your wellbeing easier. It is a handy accessory for every purpose. You might attach a badge to it utilizing a lanyard. You might buy a lanyard to install an earphone. A lanyard is commonly used to showcase ID cards, tickets, and badges. Its design is usually a woven or braided stuff. The lanyard will be divided at one end which includes a clip that is that come with the holder. A name badge is often attached to the actual linch-style hat by just a lanyard. They also serve like a keychain. If you happen to be a member of the Royal Navy, you ought to wear a light linch-style sleeved lanyard. ANY lanyard suspension method uses a twine or strap for you to suspend a prosthesis. It feeds by means of an opening inside bottom of the actual socket. It makes it easy to draw the stump in the socket, and it makes it possible to don the prosthesis even though seated. It is likewise useful for seated users. If you are unable to reach the socket from the standing position, you possibly can still use a new lanyard-strap-style attachment.

[fidgetstime]

my simple dimpl collection

I decided my first long post/review would be about some of my favorite fidgets/stim toys: Simple Dimpls. These have been everywhere over the past two years or so, and there are a billion knockoffs now because of their popularity, but the original ones were created by Fat Brain Toys, whom I do recommend supporting if you’re able.

[L-R, top to bottom: Two knockoff simple dimpls; the original Simple Dimpls in pink and blue, and purple and green (both broken, sadly); the three-pack of transparent Simple Dimpls in purple and green, yellow and orange, and blue and green.]

So the way these work are really wickedly simple (hah); each Simple Dimpl is a little lightweight plastic frame with two silicone bubbles that you can pop in and out, kind of like “endless bubble wrap” or Pop-Its, if you’ve seen those toys around. From what I’ve seen, they usually have a small hole you can attach a carabiner clip or a phone strap/lanyard to, so you can clip it to your bag or keychain and take it on the go. The originals (and some of the knockoffs, depending on the manufacturer) also have little raised shapes on the front of the bubbles, which provide a bit of nice sensory input.

Simple Dimpls fit perfectly into the palm of your hand and are easy to fall into a rhythm with, which I think makes them great for stimmers of any age. I will say that the popping sounds can be a little loud, so they’re probably not a good classroom or office fidget. From personal experience, it also might not be a good idea to stim intensely with these for several days in a row, especially if it’s your first time using one--I did that with my first Simple Dimpl and got a slight cramp in my hand.

On to the reviews of the specific ones I have in my collection!

First: the knockoffs. I bought these online after seeing them everywhere on Youtube and Tiktok, and fell in love immediately. They’re the exact same size as the original Simple Dimpls, come in the same colors as the originals (and more), and they even have little knockoff brains on the bubbles, lol. 

The thing about these is that the silicone is a bit stiffer and the bubbles are a bit “deeper” than those on the originals--meaning I have to push slightly harder to pop them in and back again. BUT the plus side of that is, they’re probably harder to break. I’ve had these for two years and they’re pretty much still as good as the day I got them.

Next, the original Simple Dimpl. As you can probably tell, I loved these so much that I fidgeted them to death. Both of the ones I have broke within the first six months of me using them; they sprouted little tears in the silicone that just grew bigger until the bubbles were hanging on by a thread, and then finally came off :( I don’t know if I was fidgeting with them too hard, or if the quality control on this batch was off, or if they really just wear down like this eventually. (Currently, the blue bubble is the only survivor.)

These were my faves for a long time until they broke, and there’s something really pleasing about the colored bubbles on the white frames to me. The bubbles on these originals are slightly shallower than the knockoffs I mentioned earlier, which makes for a smoother popping experience; the first time I stimmed with an original Simple Dimpl I was SO pleasantly surprised at how much easier it felt.

(Comparison of the knockoff dimpl and my remaining original Simple Dimpl.)

And lastly, we have the transparent Simpl Dimpl. I believe these only come in a 3-pack from Fat Brain and you can’t get them individually, but I think the color assortment and the quality makes them so worth it. The clear frames look super gorgeous and more minimalist (?), and there’s an orange-and-yellow colorway that the regular Simpl Dimpls don’t have.

I don’t know if it’s my imagination, but the silicone on these feels just a tad stiffer than the silicone on the originals. It’s not as soft or “slippery” and doesn’t pick up oils from my hands easily, to the point that I’ve tried rubbing a little bit of hand lotion into the bubbles to see if it makes them softer/smoother. The lotion didn’t have as much of an effect as I thought it would, which was interesting. I’ve had them for maybe a year and they haven’t gotten any tears yet, though, which I can only take as a good thing.

Fat Brain also makes these ones with colored frames, more subtle black-and-white versions, and a glow-in-the-dark one. I don’t own any of these, so photos are pulled from their site.

The popularity of Simple Dimpls has spawned a lot of knockoffs, like I mentioned, including “triple dimpls” (ones with three bubbles arranged in a triangle shape), single-bubble dimpls, and dimpl bubbles Frankenstein-attached to pretty much every other fidget toy you can think of. Recently I’ve also seen things called Pull n’ Pops, which appear to be like dimpls/pop-its but with tiny silicone pull tabs on each bubble to pull them back out with.

Personally though, I still like the og Simple Dimpl the best.

[customuklanyards]

Are lanyards with card holders customizable?

Lanyards with card holders have become ubiquitous accessories in various environments, from corporate offices to conferences and events. They offer a convenient way to carry identification cards, access keys, or other essentials securely around the neck. But can these lanyards be customised to fit specific needs and preferences? Let's delve into the options available for customisation.

1. Material and Colour Options: Custom Lanyards come in a variety of materials such as nylon, polyester, or cotton, each offering its own durability and texture. Many suppliers offer a range of colour options, allowing you to select hues that match your brand or personal style.

2. Printing and Branding: One of the most common ways to customise lanyards is through printing. Companies often add their logos, slogans, or other branding elements onto the lanyard strap. This not only serves as a form of identification but also as a promotional tool.

3. Custom Card Holder Design: While the lanyard itself can be customised, the card holder attached to it can also be tailored to meet specific requirements. Whether you need a single or double-sided holder, with additional pockets or slots for multiple cards, suppliers often offer various options to suit your needs.

4. Size and Length Adjustments: Depending on the intended use, lanyards can be customised in terms of length and width. For instance, longer lanyards may be preferred for events where identification needs to be prominently displayed, while shorter ones might be more suitable for everyday office use.

5. Additional Features: Some suppliers offer additional customisation features such as safety breakaways, detachable clips, or retractable badge reels. These features can enhance functionality and safety, especially in high-activity environments.

6. Personalisation for Individuals: Individuals can also customise lanyards to reflect their personality or interests. This could include adding decorative elements like beads, charms, or embroidery, or choosing unique patterns or designs.

7. Eco-Friendly Options: For those concerned about environmental impact, there are eco-friendly lanyard options available, made from sustainable materials such as bamboo or recycled polyester. Customisation is still possible with these environmentally conscious choices.

8. Ordering Process: The process of customising lanyards typically involves working with a supplier or manufacturer who offers customisation services. This may include submitting artwork or design specifications, approving proofs, and finalising details before production.

In conclusion, lanyards with card holders are indeed highly customisable items. Whether for corporate branding, event promotion, or personalisation, there are numerous options available to tailor Customisable Lanyards to specific needs and preferences. From material and colour choices to printing and additional features, customisation allows for versatility and creativity in the design of these practical accessories.

[y2promo]

Stand apart at Exhibition with Customized Lanyards

A tailored lanyard, resplendent with your logo as well as business colors, is just one of the most effective advertising items to hand out in huge amounts at exhibitions and other corporate events. Not just are they superb to utilize as promotional presents, but personalized lanyards can improve brand name understanding for your firm in unmatched methods when you hand them bent on your workers or employee.

Visit our website: www.propermark.com

Especially, printed lanyards that are customized for use at trade convention are a great way to recognize the various types of participants. Develop a color-coded system to distinguish staffers that are running the occasion. Another color or style can distinguish tradeshow guests. Yet again, another look to differentiate suppliers.

In every circumstances, not only will every person participating in the occasion see your lanyards, but staffers, suppliers, as well as attendees will certainly take your premium coupon item house and continue utilizing it long after the occasion is done. This gives an even greater level of brand recognition for your firm.

The best customized published lanyards and also badge holders increase safety and security and security at business conventions. Of course, the obvious advantages originate from making sure that access crucial cards as well as keyrings stay safely affixed to the people with the clearance to utilize them. Nothing is worse than knowing a collection of keys to a supply closet or another essential room is missing out on. An imprinted neck cord can relieve those interest in simplicity. However, there is an additional angle to the safety benefits of using lanyards at exhibition. This comes in the form of a security breakaway lanyard. These special neck cords are commonly readily available and also equally as simple to customize with your logo.

Likewise described as optional release attachments, these clasps are generally situated on the top of the strap. When used, the security release exists at the neck's neck as well as is completely unseen.

These breakaway functions come in the type of plastic fastenings in addition to Velcro strips. These types of bands safeguard the customer while still having the ability to support secrets or ID badges. When any quantity of irregular pressure is put in upon the cord, the two straps will let go of each other, as well as the user will be released. This crucial design element protects against the getting and feasible strangulation of any individual who might be using the neck strap.

This attribute is particularly valuable at trade convention as well as convention facilities where lots of risks can be discovered around cubicles, tables, and stages. Genuinely, picking to personalize a breakaway lanyard to make use of as your business handout can repay in the long run. Sometimes, you can personalize your marketing gift with one or the other sort of breakaway release. In some circumstances, you can select to add both kinds of releases for a marketing product that gives the highest degree of security. Select to include a mix of Velcro and also buckle breakaways or a lanyard that features two plastic fastenings. In any case, you and your present recipients can feel confident that they are safe while using your marketing product.

Additionally, personalized lanyards can help make networking an easier feat. Name tags and badges are always kept front and center by picking the proper attachment. Trade show participants can easily read credentials and learn pertinent details at a glance. Attachments like metal bulldog clips keep badges and card holders turned in the correct direction.

There are also lanyard accessory attachment options, such as metal swivel hooks, plastic J hooks, and cell phone holders. If you need a lanyard for keys, choose to outfit your neck cords with durable metal keyrings. Another option is the ever-popular metal lobster claws that can seamlessly transition from keys to badges and back again. Truly, there is an attachment that will help you create the most ideal personalized neck cord for your purposes.

ID cards and keys are always easier to find and less troublesome to use when attached to a convenient branded neck cord. A logo lanyard designed with your company name is an optimal tradeshow product.

Create the perfect look to match your brand identity with endless customization options. Create a lanyard that directly reflects on your company in a positive light. Choose from various materials such as woven lanyards, polyester lanyards, nylon lanyards and more. There is no wrong material to use when you are deciding how you want your strap to look and feel.

Pick from a myriad of colors for your strap as well. From traditional white, black, and navy hues to bright and cheery shades of orange, yellow, red, and beyond, you can add your desired logo for an exceptionally unique branded item. Just like that, you have a trade show product that will help your company stand out!

Take advantage of all the benefits a custom lanyard can offer your company at trade shows. Be prepared to offer great swag giveaway options as your trade show calendar begins to fill. Create an outstanding promotional product to advertise your products and services today.

[householdmanufacturers]

Adjustable pliers are also useful

Multi tools have come a long way from the Swiss Army days. Gerber multi toolkits contain an array of tools that permit you to complete a number of different projects without the need to use a separate tool each time. Some basic drill sets will provide you just what you need to drill into walls, wood or sometimes even concrete. Whether you are replacing an old cabinet hardware or building a new table, tool sets are essential for every builder or builder-wannabe. The difference lies between the grip. It;ll be a great help during some small tasks.Need to carry a Swiss Army knife, pliers, cutters or possibly a screwdriver without bringing a toolbox? Gerber tools can supply you with this. Again, size is not that important.

A tool kit will only be helpful if it contains the ones you;re looking for most often. They;re able to assist you with plumbing repairs, and adjusting nuts and bolts. For several reasons, a scissor and an electrical tape includes the list. For additional complex projects, you might require a bigger set consisting of items such as a saw, grinder and cutters. Another must-have for a multi-tool kit is the hammer. There are other home essentials that make the cut. Just figure out how to maintain your multi tools correctly because improper uses can ruin it completely.. One of these is screwdrivers. Small-size pliers are okay, however, stay with the medium range, just as for the screwdrivers. The best multi tools are the ones you will not regret spending extra money on.

Adjustable pliers are also useful. While many people need a variety of this tool, one medium-sized Phillips head screwdriver and one 1 medium-sized flat head screwdriver ought to do the trick for some. It needs to be tight but comfortable. Home improvement projects don;t always need the same tools that;s why you should select a power tool kit that meets your needs. hand File set A set of Gerber tools will help you finish your projects more quickly and easily. Get one which can be easily swung. Here is, however, a list of Gerber tools contained in their power tool kit: -Needle nose Pliers -Regular Pliers -Wire Cutters -Hard-Wire Cutters -Clip-Point Knife -Serrated Knife -Diamond-Coated File -Wood Saw-Scissors -Extra Small Screwdriver -Small Screwdriver -Medium Screwdriver -Large Screwdriver -Phillips Screwdriver -Can / Bottle Opener -Wire Stripper, and a -Lanyard Attachment Having a multi tool is important, not just in a survival situation but also for home remedies. A good grip needs to provide maximum torque with the least pressure.

Because wood shrinks with time, one comprised entirely of metal is definitely the best option. Though they are still great tools to have, there are so much more stuff to select from. Keep in mind that not all multi tool kits are exactly the same. The kits consist of a range of items, from drills and drivers to pliers and saw

[end-of-reset]

Written Special 2: First Day of School

TWs: Misgendering (Though it is both confusing/both ways (both he and she, to be blunt,) and before Frisk is out) and Infantilization (Though Frisk IS only 5)

Click. Click, click, click.

Frisk's chest swelled. 

The new pin was like a little finger magnet. It had a little metal piece that could move in a 180 direction and click whenever it landed, each and every time. Whoever made these things didn’t seem to think about making them silent or subtle, even though the design made it clear the pin was meant for a child.

Frisk flicked it again, watching the pin bounce to the other side and cover the two letters on that end. Back and forth...

"Try not to mess with that, okay, baby?" Lightly tanned hands eased Frisk's fingers from the shiny pin, giving their hand a tiny, warm squeeze. Frisk blinked, curling their fingers around Maman's hand.  She'd been touchier than usual today, holding hands and insisting on watching Precious do their hair.  It wasn't like Frisk minded her clinginess, but she acted like this whenever she was anxious, so that meant Frisk should pay close attention to whatever it was that was igniting her anxiety. 

Which was....?

The little room they were in was bright and cheerful, warm and welcoming, yet Frisk's other mother stood in front of the desk with her legs tense and her expression forced.

Smile doesn't touch eyes. Curves = happy?

"Hopefully there won't be any problems with that?" Mama was saying. "I don't want this big day to go wrong..."

Repeating words: big day. Big = emotional. 

Hopefully not as emotional as their fifth birthday. Everyone climbed in a car (Frisk got to hide in a cozy little back nook) and drove to see Maman's family. Too many tears and French people. There was so much happening, Frisk could barely grasp why everyone was so teary-eyed.

Something to do with getting so big and being so cute. Meaningless, really! All words people applied to what shaped Frisk's being. The adults should've turned their tears into hugs. Frisk liked hugs, and being carried, and climbing on the taller family members. Frisk knew people cried to get their emotions out, and sometimes Frisk felt things very Much and water built up in their eyes, but if a day is supposed to be celebrating Frisk, they should all try to do things Frisk liked. Perhaps going to the lake or beach. Or just the park. Somewhere big with things to do.  

But none of that happened. Like today, the emotions shown likely had little to do with Frisk themself. That was okay, though, because Frisk knew their mothers still loved them. The two of them couldn't realize Frisk was eager, so they focused on what they knew. People were like that, sometimes. Well, at least some people. Frisk hadn't actually interacted with too many people before..

But today presented something new. Possibilities. People to see that Frisk didn't know. Voices to hear that weren't on TV.

Smiles to see, hands to squeeze.

New people. New faces. 

Frisk's fingers twitched, tempted to fiddle again already. They reached for Mama's hand with their free one, but she didn't seem to notice. She was focused on her conversation about Frisk’s “situation.”

Instead of Mama, Maman leaned in and flicked the moveable part of their pin to the left, covering the word on that side. "There we go. It's important everybody see this each day!"

Important = necessary. Pin =... Necessary?

Just word. One word each side. Two.

The receptionist- Frisk hadn’t yet looked at them long enough to discern a solid image of them- smiled. "Ah, I see, so we should rely on whatever Frisk has set it to? That's simple enough!"

Frisk set it? 

It... The pin.

Hm.

Frisk’s gaze traveled to the tall, tall faces of each one. Maman: uneasy, her dark eyes flicking to and from Frisk. Mama: focused, smiling at the receptionist. Frisk studied her face.

Worst lipstick color. Too pink. 

Clothes blue. Lipstick needs: dark.

She just smiled. Terrible lipstick and all. 

They had tried to tell her that it looked bad. Apparently shoving a GOOD lipstick tube in her face and pointing at her lips wasn't explanation enough. She assumed they were playing.

Frisk's gaze traveled up and up until they could see their mother's eyes. "That's right! We don't want to upset Frisk."

Her gaze was on the receptionist. The receptionist was looking right back. They prodded their computer screen with a computer pen. 

"So, I'll just go ahead and put Frisk on the card, I'll leave a note on the back that it's a nickname, though." Frisk focused more on the receptionist the longer they spoke. They had light brown skin and green hair. Piercings lined their ears; shiny little spikes that seemed to stab through the shell of their ear and emerge. How did they sleep with those things in? Frisk wanted to stare for longer, but there was more to observe. The little name card pinned to the receptionist's shirt made little sense to Frisk, save for the little Venus symbol from those entwined earrings Mama would wear sometimes. And didn't Maman have a tattoo of those somewhere? 

Venus pin. Earrings. Tattoo. Shared traits.

"That sounds good." Mama said.

"So this is what the card looks like," the receptionist swiveled the screen around to face Frisk's parents. They stood on their toes, looking up. "We like to leave a spot for stickers right here. Some kids like putting little SOUL stickers on their tags." 

Frisk felt the hand holding theirs tense. 

"It's not required, is it?" Maman asked. "Frisk wouldn't like that..."

Frisk just stared at her, brows creased. They actually liked stickers, but they also knew that whenever the SOUL subject arose, it was best to stay quiet (which wasn't hard.) Unlike most things, Frisk's moms didn't like to discuss that subject directly in front of Frisk. They got to learn what ovarian cysts were because "Frisk isn't listening" but SOULs were inappropriate subject matter. 

Moms were weird. Hm...

Frisk blinked, and the people around them had moved, conversation skipping ahead. 

"- it'll be printed any minute!" The receptionist- she?- said, hitting a button on her computer. A soft hum started up in the corner of the room, somewhere Frisk couldn't see. “I'll message the teachers for Frisk's class now," she moved to type on her computer. "And let them know. “

Frisk pursed their lips. 

Eighth time today.

"So there's a few teachers?"

She nodded, tapping her nails against the glossy plastic of her computer mouse. Been a while since Frisk had seen any of those. "Yeah, we've got a few. Something like this isn't a problem at all, though! They're all very enthusiastic about our students. Frisk might like-" she stopped, leaning back in her seat and gazing at something out of Frisk's sight. After a moment, she smiled and leaned over the counter. "Oh, Frisk! Frisk, sweetie!"

They looked up at her. Her gaze flickered over their face, confirming they were paying attention. "Your card is done printing! Let's give you that first."

It was strange....Someone was looking directly at them and speaking directly to them. She didn't even try to mention  the card thing to Mama and Maman. So that meant...

It belongs to [Frisk] alone?

Only?

Frisk stood on their toes and peered up at the receptionist while she bustled about. Their gaze shifted to the small white square in the employee's hand. As they watched, laser-focused, she attached a small metal clip to it. They preemptively reached a hand out, because that had to be the Thing that was for Them. It was probably just a card, but it was for Frisk and Frisk alone, and there were very few of those kinds of things. Mama also reached for it, but the receptionist's aim had been low (because it was for Frisk) so Frisk's hand reached it first (good, because it was for them.) They gripped it tight, feeling heat radiate off of the plastic. Few things were given to them so directly by people outside of family. Though, then again, most strange grown-ups they met were important business people who had grown-up things to talk about with Frisk's moms. So maybe it was just that those people were rude.

That made sense. If everyone here was so polite, then this would be fun.

The card was so fresh the fumes from the printer still lingered in the air surrounding it. Frisk squeezed it between two fingers, rubbing their fingertips all over the soft plastic.

Warm...

They could feel Mama's bewildered gaze. When they looked at her, she was focused on the receptionist, her hand carefully settled on the edge of the desk instead of staying in the air where it had been snubbed. The receptionist didn't seem to notice anything amiss, but Maman was fiddling with her bracelet. 

Giveaway. Anxious.

The receptionist looked down at Frisk. "Are you fine with the clip or would you like a lanyard, Frisk?"

Frisk blinked. She said their name a lot, and looked directly at them a lot. It was kind of strange. Frisk's parents' eyes turned towards them, and suddenly, three pairs of eyes bore into them. 

Time seemed to skip forward a few seconds. The next moment, Mama was bent down to their height, touching their face. The card felt a little too tight in their hands, digging into their skin. They unclenched, wondering when they had stiffened.

“Not again....” Mama whispered.

"Everything okay?" The receptionist asked.

Ninth.

Frisk looked up, about to nod, but Mama interrupted. "Oh, baby, are you okay? Do you feel all right? Is everything fine?”

"Ma'am, I think Frisk's fine," the receptionist blinked. "Absence epilepsy is relatively harmless. And you're trying a new medication, right?”

Mama pulled Frisk into her arms. 

Smells: peach conditioner. Feels: Soft blouse. Warm...

 Mama huffed, "Yes, but it's obviously not working!" 

"Love, it's only been a week, don't worry too much," Maman leaned in, touching her wife's shoulder. 

"I suppose..." she leaned back, rubbing her eyes. More dramatics, though these ones were from a good place.  Everyone always had to act as though Frisk was in pain, even when they weren't. 

It meant they cared. But still. 

Frisk made a small grunt, forcing the noise out with some slight effort. All eyes returned to them. Frisk clipped it on their shirt for everyone to see: they could do it on their own! 

The receptionist's eyes drifted, flicking back to the two women besides Frisk "See? Frisk is ready to start the day!"

"Ah...." Mama sighed. "I suppose..."

"Don't worry! There's nothing we can't accommodate, including gender identity and names." She smiled at the two of them. "Honestly, good on you for giving your child so much freedom!"

Same phrase. Over and over. Smile. Laugh. Humility.

Mama spoke first, bringing a hand to her face and chuckling. Now they were all just talking praise, mindless words that didn't really have anything to do with Frisk and instead had everything to do with their mothers. 

While the adults went at it, Frisk unclipped and examined the ID tag. They knew that was their face looking back. The letters were their name. A gleaming little symbol stood beside Frisk's name: an outline of an open mouth with a tiny speech balloon extending from it. A large red X crossed out the image. 

Indicating 'no" or "bad" or "do not." 

"Do not talk."

Interesting. 

There were tiny bumps underneath Frisk's name.

They ran their fingers over the odd little bumps under the letters. Their oldest sister read books using this. She sometimes told Frisk about the books. She called them Braille.

Braille. Name above = name below.

Braille, probably of their name.  Frisk ran their fingers over the bumps again, counting each dot.

The rest of the card was just letters and numbers. Flat ones, so Frisk couldn't even feel them. Boring things that didn't have anything to do with Frisk. They tuned back in, still rubbing their fingertips on the pleasant little bumps.

"We"re just trying to do our best as parents. Frisk deserves that!" 

Frisk gave the tag a flick. When the sensation proved satisfying, they did it again. Tap, tap, tap...

They smiled, wiggling their fingers on their left hand happily. Tap, tap-

"Aw!" Mama covered her smile with her hand.

Aw? Discomfort replaced the joyful motion. Frisk hated when she stared. They stopped and dropped their hands, letting their limbs swing by their side instead. 

The receptionist continued. “And today, we should use “he?”

"Yes!” Mama smiled. She wanted today to be one of those days. She usually preferred the “she” days. Maman usually preferred the “he” days. But it depended on the day and whatever mood struck their mothers’ minds. Yesterday, Maman had said, "I want to say my youngest daughter is starting school tomorrow! Let’s go take pictures with her right now!" And then they did pictures.   Frisk got to eat candy after the pictures were taken. Hmm....

Table? Table workers. Bowls on tables. Candy bowl? Where?

Frisk peered past the receptionist. A bowl of hard candy sat on the corner of her desk, multicolored squares and circles flourished with a bright piece of paper.

Scribbles. Blurry. 

Frisk looked closer. Letters. Words.

Ugh...

Those letters all made sense individually. A was an A. But together, they were nonsense. Even worse, they were supposed to correspond to sounds. A was the same as an "ah" sound. Ridiculous! Sounds weren't pictures! The two things were completely different! .

And yet, everyone else took the weird little shapes and connected them to sounds. They could turn pictures into noise. And why? Shapes didn't equal sound. Everyone was so weird, acting like Frisk was odd. And maybe they were, but so what? Frisk would stick to pictures and everyone could use their picture sounds if they wanted to.

Or, so they wished. They couldn't figure out how to comfort their mothers and tell them than Frisk would be fine, that's why the two decided to bring Frisk here. As much as Frisk smiled and played and looked happy, the two couldn’t believe Frisk was going to be happy or “okay” unless they mastered this ability.

Happy now. + This = happy future....?

Maman said this place would "help." That Frisk could learn to do this weird thing that everyone wanted them to do. Even though it made their eye go funny. Too much work when Frisk could just as easily be told what the words meant. 

The talk was still going on. Frisk kept an ear tuned in.

"You know, there's three other children sort of like that in Frisk's new class! Of course, that's not quite the same, but maybe Frisk will be able to make friends with those children?"

Like that.

Like that could mean several things. 

Alternating dates. Both at once. Parents chose words. 

"That's interesting...!" Mama smiled.

Smile touching eyes? No. Awkward.

Why?

Her problem.

Will ignore.

Frisk had better things to do than listen to Mama get all stiff. Frisk stood on their toes and eyed the candy bowl. Nobody had noticed them yet. They could see the small hard jawbreaker brand of candies that Mama said were made of chalk in there. 

Tall enough? Yes, yes-

Frisk reached up and grabbed a candy.

Then another one.

Maman tutted gently. "You need to ask first!"

She picked up the slip of paper and held it down to eye-level.

"See?"

Frisk looked at the paper. Their vision started to wobble, warp, and gargle the letters into incomprehension. It didn't help that these letters were handwritten- the little pen marks were far whirlier and confusing than the printed letters Frisk was used to.

"Oh, it's fine," the receptionist said. "Those are here for the kids, anyways! And not all of our kids can speak first. Typically, if a child can read the note and ask, we give them extra candy, but anyone can have some."

Mama smiled. "That's nice of you!"

Maman sighed just slightly and replaced the card. Frisk pulled the wrapper off the candy and stuffed it in their mouth. They glanced at their other mother, watching her movements closely. 

Mama facing. Smiling. Looking at.

"It’s a good thing, since Frisk can’t read OR speak....” she sighed.

Frisk rolled the candy around, getting it into a good position in their mouth. Somewhere it wouldn't move too much and clack against their teeth.

Hard. No teeth. Waiting.  Slow flavor.

The receptionist smiled. "You'll be surprised how quickly kids pick up on stuff!"

"I hope this will all be okay... It's such a big change for Frisk,” Maman sighed. 

Smells like tears. Salt. That meant-

They stiffened, enveloped in a hug, and smiled, hugging back.

------------------------------------

Frisk didn't want their moms to worry. They were fine, and would show it. They always worried, worried, worried! Worried about what was best! Parents.

This, class, though...

Faces. Colors. Movement.

Movement.

Where should they sit? So many choices... Not that it mattered in the end.

Chairs. Colors. Red, blue, green, yellow, purple, orange...

There were also words on the digital board. Frisk turned.

Same colors. Code? Rules?

Rules, huh....

Frisk blinked, and all the moving shapes and faces had moved. They shook their head and focused on the screen. 

Words and a video of someone making gestures with their ends. The video was on repeat, the gestures playing over and over. Frisk stood still and watched for a moment.

Video with words. Video = words. Movements = words?

But Frisk didn't know those words. So they'd have to read. Or try to. So long as they tried, they did a great job! That's what Maman used to say, until....she realized Frisk trying didn't mean much. They tried and tried and failed and failed. Repetition didn't change a thing when the letters simply refused to do what they did for everyone else. It had felt nice to be praised for simply attempting, though... So this, too, was worth an attempt. Even though nobody would praise them.

Frisk stepped back. They squinted. They knew these letters. They knew them all. But the words wouldn't connect. Maybe if they tried something else. Frisk covered their squinty eye until the letters came into focus. The words floated there, just looking like a bunch of lines wiggling in space. People were supposed to take the letters and hear the sound each one made inside their head, but Frisk couldn't hear anything. Lines were meant to form pictures, drawings, cartoons- not angular little shapes that connected to specific noises!

Hate. Annoying. Letter, letters, noise. Instead of pictures?

Why?

A voice rang out, interrupting their concentration. "Hey, you!" Frisk turned, seeing a tall child with pale white skin and a big smile eyeing them. A big blurry smile against a big round face. Perched on the child's nose was a thick pair of complicated glasses, not like the glasses Frisk had seen at home. The arms of the spectacles gleamed just slightly and adjusted the lens as Frisk watched.

Quiet hum. Adjustable lens. Glowing arms. Helper glasses. Bionic. Computer?

Pale eyes. Pale smile.

"Your eye's funny, right? Cause you covering it?" The child said, pointing a blurred hand at Frisk. Frisk pulled their hand away. Their eye adjusted its position, focusing on the child before them.

"Oh, there it goes. Gone!" The other child giggled. Frisk puffed their cheeks out and looked around some more. "Freddy's eye goes out also. You guys... Got mirror eyes! Left against right!"

Freddy? Who? The child spoke like this information was clear to Frisk.

The other kid pointed to a child just now sitting down to the right...

Glasses. Brown skin, bright brown eyes. Nervous.

Frisk gave him a small smile. Sometimes that helped nervous people.

"Um, you could sit with us. But sometimes we got ages that make us sit other places..." he said. "I'm six." "I'm seven!" his friend said. Frisk held up their free hand, holding out five fingers.

"Oh, five? You're basically little!"

Frisk stared and puffed out their cheeks in frustration. They weren't LITTLE. They were small! There was a difference.

Little = young. Small = size.

"That's not nice!" Freddy said, his voice jumping in pitch.

"It’s the truth. Being five is like being four. Being four is little. My sister is three and she's even little-er," his friend nodded their head. "So that's little."

"Little ages can still be here..." he mumbled back. He looked at Frisk. "You can still sit with us. She's mean, though."

"Am NOT. I'm seven!" The other child- she?- glared. "Hey, hey, listen, okay? I saw something! Ages go in order..."

5, 6, 7...

Frisk pulled the chair out and sat down. The ages did go in order. So she could count, that was good. Frisk could count, too, three, four-

"You don’t say much, huh?" she observed, tilting her head and squinting pale blue eyes at them.

Say. Speak. Voice.

No.

Frisk shrugged, because she was right; they didn't. Yesterday they sort of said "Mama," but their mouth hated it. School was supposed to "help" with the talking, but would it really?

Help = fix?

Help =make easier?

Words =/= noise.

Easier?

Help = ..?

Freddy pointed at Frisk's card. "Yeah, that's why you got the talky mark. Kids who don't talk much got that. Like Tuesday."

She scoffed. "That's a day." 

"So? It's also a name. Anything can be a name..."

"Wait. I have a name, and so do you." She said, intently. Suddenly, she whipped around to Frisk. "You!! You know my name, right?!"

Frisk stared at her little pointing finger and shook their head. That always meant "no." But if the question was a big one, Frisk couldn't shake their head. Annoying.

She kept going without waiting for their response. "I'm Ceecee, and, ummmm..."

Frisk blinked. Things had changed.

Ten?

Oh. Freddy was speaking now. Whatever Ceecee said, they’d missed it.

"The name." Freddy said, pointing at Frisk's tag. "Name." He looked at Frisk. "Right? Your name's on it."

Name?

Frisk looked down, then back up, confused. What did they want?

Ceecee turned and stared at Frisk's card for a long moment. Her glasses shifted a fraction, adjusting. 

Frisk watched closely. Some people on their tablet computer used those same glasses, especially on Frisk’s shows. The exact sounds used to explain what the heck they did were gone from Frisk's memory, but Frisk was positive they had to do with eye issues. Though her eyes didn’t seem to have any issues. Unless being blue was an issue....Maybe it was. Their eldest sister had blue eyes and she had her fair share of eye issues.

After four seconds of focusing, she finally announced: "I knew that! I mean the other things!" Her hands flew to her hips.

Freddy sighed. "Auntie said use me. I'm he....and you're-"

"Sheeeee. Yes!" Ceecee said. She looked at Frisk for an answer.

Sometimes people asked for those words. Especially since the one incident on video. Some people did it before, but it really kicked into gear after the video incident with the new mayor. Frisk knew a mayor was the person who lead the town, but they didn’t really think too hard about what all that meant. Maman said the person "conducting the interview" did a "faux paus."

Mama had laughed and said, "Sure, but can you blame him for that kinda mistake?"

Frisk still didn't know what "that" is, but they did notice how everyone suddenly started asking for those WORDS... Like now. Which was weird. They had the pin since forever. 

Actually, Frisk had never used any words but the same two.

Weird... Was there other options? Huh. Frisk just shrugged and pointed at their pin. "Oh, I don't read." She smiled. "Buuut... I like the pin even if the words are bad. Is it yellow? I like yellow. You should match me," she pulled on the straps of her bright yellow top until they stretched an inch away from her pale skin. Her gaze stayed on the tag. "Ooh! Wait... WAIT, I know this."

Frisk blinked.

"I know THAT," Ceecee leaned in until her finger touched the pin, "Is what people call a H!"

"That's an E next to it," Freddy said. "So H-E."

"Oh, so HE. Like you!" She smiled.

Freddy shrugged. "Yeah, but I don't gotta pin..."

"Yeah! That's weird. I wanna pin. Why's Frisk gotta pin?"

So pins were unusual. Frisk was "different.” They knew this, already, since they heard the word whispered between their mothers more than a few times. Also “special” and “sweet little angel.” Hm.

Frisk wanted to tell the two that the pin would probably say "she" tomorrow, but they couldn't think of how to communicate this. Would Ceecee be happy if they matched in that way? They liked her so far. She seemed friendly, and talkative, and reminded them of their sister.

Freddy glanced at Frisk, then shrugged. ”Um, I dunno, I guess to remind people?”

Frisk nodded a little. 

Remind others. 

Ceecee looked past them, then raised a hand, pointing. "He gotta button like them..."

Frisk looked around, not sure who she was talking about. Freddy pointed more clearly at a red-haired child a few seats down. "Ceecee means Gray." The child named “Gray” was cheerfully talking to the children around them, seeming for all the world like any other child. 

"Noooo, I mean they," she insisted, frowning.

Freddy looked at her. "That still wrong. They isn't the name. It's-”

"I don’t talk, either. Talking is for...for....BABIES." Ceecee insisted, blinking watery blue eyes behind her glasses. She was talking now, but Frisk suspected she was just being blustery rather than legitimate about her words. 

Tinted. Darker glasses. Talked about an eyes group.

=

Ceecee eyes bad.

"Grownups gotta talk, too." Freddy said. 

He would've continued, but one of the aides moved over, almost as if summoned, and everyone’s attention quickly shifted to them. They were a friendly-looking short-haired blonde with a crooked smile and long lashes. Frisk took note of the pink in the persons outfit and nodded slightly in respect. Perfect shades.

The aide smiled at the squad. "Hi, Ceecee, hi, Freddy! How are you two?”

“Goooood.” Ceecee said. 

The aide turned towards Frisk. “Hey, there! You’re Frisk, right? I’m Andy. You're gonna sit here, honey?"

Frisk nodded.

The aide nodded. "So you’ve met Freddy and Ceecee?”

They nodded again. They had the feeling they would be doing a lot of nodding.

Yes, yes, yes. No, no, no.

“That’s great!” The aide nodded. They looked closer at Frisk, eyeing Frisk’s button for a moment. But they didn’t comment. “So, you two, did you know....Frisk is extra special, because the words he uses for himself change sometimes,” they pointed at Frisk’s button.

The two children looked at each other, then back at the caretaker, their brows curved.

Twisted brows inwards. 

Meant: Confusion.

Ceecee said, “S’that why he got the button? Cause there’s two words on their?”

“Exactly! Frisk, is it okay if I touch your pin?” The aide looked at Frisk. 

Frisk looked up at them and smiled a little, nodding.

“So, yes! Okay!” 

They gently flicked the pin to point in the other side, to the other word. “You see, this says “she.” Some days Frisk will go by she instead of he.” 

Hmm. Frisk’s expression didn’t move, but they did feel something twitch in their gut. They heard these words all tjhe time from their mothers, but it was now being brought into a bigger world. They didn’t envision this situation ever happening, and now that it was, they couldn’t understand why something felt wrong.

“So, like me!” Ceecee said.

“Yes, and like me!” The aide smiled, tapping their-no, HER- employee card clip. Now that Frisk was looking, they could see the same organization of letters that made up the other half of their pin sitting on a sticker on her card. “But right now, Frisk is still using he. So be sure to ask what kind of day it is for Frisk, okay?”

"Huh? How're we supposed to know that? I don't READ," Ceecee said again. “And Frisk don’t talk! SO asking does NOTHING!” She put her hands on her hips, looking pleased with this announcement. 

"Well..." Andy looked at Frisk. "Frisk, you could tell your friends in sign. If it's a he day, use the fingerspelling for H. It looks like this," the aide held up her hand in an odd shape. Frisk copied her.

Hand... Letter.

H = this shape.

Frisk blinked and did the movement again.

“Great!”

They did it again, and again. They'd never used their hands like this. It felt as fun as flapping did, but also contained a PURPOSE... A way to communicate behind yes or no.

More. More letters? Need more.

"Wow, great job!" She showed another symbol. “This is the one for S, which is what you'll use for she days, okay?"  Frisk nodded, copying her precisely. They couldn't get these movements out of their head.

The images stuck there and burned. H and S, carried in Frisk's hands...

Except...wait! She and he had more letters, probably. More than one each, Frisk knew that.

"Okay, n-” the aide started.

Frisk waved and made an urgent noise from the back of their throat.

She blinked. "Hm? Is something wrong, sweetie?"

Frisk held up S and H, one in each hand. They frowned intently. Um, um...

Letters, two and three. H = 1 of 2. S= 1 of 3.

They held up S and two fingers.

"You want to see It again? Okay, but I think you can make an S just fine!"

Frisk shook their head. Their mind spun.

The shakes that made up SHE. They had an S. The next letter was also an H, right? The same as in he. Frisk tried to hold up their good hand, making the S, then the H, then waving their hands in confusion.

The aide looked even more confused..

"SH isn't a word!" Ceecee blurted. "You're missing other letters!"

Frisk pointed at her and nodded, hoping desperately that the aide would understand. 

The aide blinked. "Oh, would you like to learn the rest of the letters in the and he? Don't worry, you'll get to learn those eventually!"

Not now?

Frisk deflated, staring at their hands and flexing the signs.

Andy turned away, focus quickly shifting to the other two children.

"Okay, Ceecee, Freddy." She looked at the other two. "Since Frisk is new here, you guys gotta be super helpful. Frisk doesn't talk, so I’m hoping you two could try and help the best you can. If you think you gotta yell so one of us hears, then be sure to do so."

Just them? Job? Nothing else? Frisk...Helpless, or ....

This is routine?

"Okaaaay, but you can just teach the hands talk today, can't you?" Ceecee shrugged. “Then we don’t gotta do this.

"Hopefully! That depends on if everyone knows the alphabet!"

Frisk was tested for that a few months ago. All sorts of strange tests, including an alphabet test. Frisk knew the alphabet. The letter A correlated to an “ah” sound when someone spoke. Letters were all symbols in place of a noise. The symbols themselves were easy enough, they were just pictures. 

The tester had said, "We'll put Frisk in the B class for now. All the children there know their basic alphabet, but they may not be able to read as easily. Even still...Frisk is a little young to start kindergarten, are you sure she'll-” It was a she day-”-Be okay?"

And Mama had said, "Of course! We know exactly what's best for our child! She needs higher education!"

Of course, it was all because there was nothing else to learn at home.

To learn OR to be taught? Maman was a teacher. She taught French to people of all ages. But her teaching abilities weren't enough to save her from frustration. Things had grown gradually more and more tense the more the failures piled up. So many frowns, so many flashcards.

So Frisk was ready for public school. Because Maman wasn't ready to teach.

Everyone was tested. Results = what classroom they went into.

Learning something good. Useful. Future...

This was it.

Frisk unclenched their fist and stared at their hand.

This is useful. “Helpful.” “Good.”

This has to be what they came to school to learn. If these are just letters, then what about words? Could Frisk finally tell Mama she has bad lipstick? Could they say they wanted to wear purple instead of yellow? 

Or maybe that they didn't really like the arrow pin...?

S, H, and....?

[kisskissbanggang]

Exposure

[15Min Read/3.8K Words - Idol AU - Jungwoo x Paparazzi Female Reader - NSFW/Smut - Voyeurism, Exhibitionism, Public Sex, Fellatio, Light Degradation, Dom/Sub Elements]

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Your braids felt too tight. They probably were, but you had rushed to get out to this fanmeet when you caught wind of it. Your boss understood your strengths, and you weren’t about to let that down. Once you were able to get your shots, you wouldn't even think about the dumb braids anymore.

It all started when an exec tried to say you looked too young to be successful as a photographer. No one would take you seriously looking like a high schooler, apparently, and it ruined you for days until you passed by a group of fans waiting for their favorite actor to make an appearance at the mall. These girls got so close and they could get into events that press weren’t allowed into. Even though you had openly applied for a sketchy tabloid job, you knew you needed credits to get ahead, and now you wanted to prove yourself. You had ran home, dug out your high school sweatshirt, pulled your hair into some pigtails, and were able to give the same exec who turned you down some great candid shots. 

So this is what you did now. You perfectly fit in with the gaggles of fansites that would crowd these events, and no one gave you any second glances. You carried your press badge hidden behind a photo card on a lanyard attached to your camera, swapping out photocards for whatever group you were chasing. Today was NCT 127, so the photocard attached to your camera was of Kim Doyoung who, according to your boss, was in talks for some new ventures and could use some new publicity. 

You had chased the group for three days now but every time you attempted a good shot of him, Kim Jungwoo kept getting in the way. They were always shopping together or eating together or doing nothing at home together and you couldn’t get any good shots of this idol alone and the whole chase was driving you crazy. This fire in you blazed when you took this new batch of photos into editing and you noticed. Jungwoo recognized you. More and more in these shots, Jungwoo had caught you in the background of his day, and today he even smiled at you. 

Your boss wasn’t pleased when you said you needed even more time to get some more shots, but nonetheless you still used the company’s money to get yourself on a train for the group’s next concert. This time, in addition to your girlish appearance, you had your equipment stashed in a backpack that you carried with you. You skipped the long line, though, and headed straight to the loading gate in the back of the venue. Press would never be allowed back here, but nonetheless you still walked up to security and did your best to look nervously excited. 

“Oppa,” you modestly smiled at the young guard, really only looking a few years older than you, “you know, it's my birthday, and I saved up money from my part-time job for this concert for months to come here. I really would love to make it even more special.” The man shifted uncomfortably, clearly conflicted about throwing out a young woman just wanting to have a special day until you whipped out a small wad of cash to tuck into the pocket of his trousers. He bit his lip and slipped you a wristband before he ultimately stepped out of the way to let you in, pointing you towards the green room where you and the other groupies could wait. 

You took your time navigating the back hallways of the venue, looking bright-eyed and lost and waiting to sneak out your smaller camera for locations like this. You clipped your press badge onto the strap as you slowly made your way through the backstage area, checking around green rooms and craft services before you came to the makeup rooms. It seemed fruitless, seeing these hallways were much emptier than those you just checked, but you needed to be sure. You slowly made your way down this corridor, taking the time to peek into every open door from the hallway, listening for voices and footsteps all the while, until a hint of motion caught your eye. 

Without making any brash movements in the quiet hall, all you were able to make out was the sinful visual of a figure leaned back over a vanity in an otherwise silent and empty dressing room, a hand stroking their exposed length in their near-privacy. You didn't gasp, you didn't blush, you just felt yourself watch, almost shamelessly enjoying this little private show before the figure pleasuring themselves against the vanity straightened up, their pace on their cock quickening. Jungwoo turned and looked right at you, and now you did gasp, caught as you were, spying on him as he jerked himself. He didn't stop, either. He just watched you watching him, never letting go of himself or slowing. If anything, he became more earnest in his ministrations, holding eye contact as long as you could handle until you were suddenly very aware of yourself. Quickly, you dashed back down the hall, writing this venture off as a wash and trying to find Doyoung somewhere else. 

In order to try and shake off the very different and very unprecedented incident that occurred backstage, you took the first vanilla opportunity your boss softballed out to the staff: a simple press event, a small demo and cocktail party for a trending fashion designer. Thankfully, even Doyoung was invited. You could probably get some good shots and have an easy night all things considered. You picked out a simple dress and jacket, something that wouldn’t make you stand out too much, and clipped your press badge onto a plain black lanyard to actually wear around your neck. Wearing your hair down was an active treat, not having to look forward to sore roots later in the night. 

The party was pretty boring, but boring was what you needed. You were thoroughly set on edge after the other day, and you couldn't place why. You’d seen Kim Jungwoo in a few magazines and occasionally on TV when his group was doing variety, and more than a few times when out doing bigger industry events, but he’d never struck you as the devilish type. However, something about the way he confidently, almost defiantly held your gaze practically stupefied you, even days later. Finally, you caught sight of Doyoung, laughing and having a glass of wine with other tall, beautiful people. You grabbed a few shots before covering the rest of the party, but something caught your eye when you clicked through your digital display to review. Jungwoo. He’d brought Jungwoo with him. 

“It’s a school night,” came a soft laugh over your shoulder, “shouldn’t you be home studying?”

You turned, rapidly growing sheepish as you were faced with Kim Jungwoo standing over you. “I’m sorry?” You apologized as you did your best to look like you didn’t understand. 

“I was wondering when I'd see you again,” Jungwoo smirked, his soft eyes holding a mischievous sparkle in them. “How did you get in here?”

“I think you have me mistaken for someone else,” you smiled cordially. 

“No,” Jungwoo insisted playfully, “I think you look like Doyoung-hyung’s new fansite I've caught poking around.” 

“Fansite?” You shook your head gravely. “I'm sorry, sir, but I'm Press.” You held up your badge on your lanyard, jolting as Jungwoo brazenly reached forward to grab it. He flipped it around to expose Doyoung’s photocard. You must've forgotten to take it out amidst all your distraction. 

“Did you enjoy your private show the other day?” Jungwoo chuckled, even stepping closer to talk low in the crowded party. “You could've joined me. I could've given you something worth shooting.” Jungwoo’s smile was genuine, soft and playful and innocent, but his eyes were hungry enough to make you plenty content with your coverage for the night and hurriedly excuse yourself from him and the party. 

You should have guessed, then, that your boss wouldn’t be pleased to hear that you’d left early. None of your shots of Doyoung had been “provoking” enough for some affiliates, and now you were perched in the bushes outside of the group’s apartment in a last-ditch effort to catch something exposing, something titillating. You had waited all night, watching people come and go and you finally caught some action in an upstairs bedroom. The focus in your camera quietly clicked along after you zoomed in to get a better look. You clicked up your exposure length as you watched with endless satisfaction, catching Doyoung finally get out of bed to work out. He slipped his shirt off over his head, and you got to work, snapping shots of Doyoung’s measly workout routine before he retreated to go take a shower. You sighed, getting ready to pack up when a presence behind you made you gasp. 

“You'll never graduate if you're always sneaking out,” Jungwoo smiled in the dark. 

“What're you doing?” You asked accusingly. 

“Me? I'm just going for a walk. You want to come with me?” You sought after a cheeky remark before Jungwoo pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of you with the flash on, making you see spots. “See? I can take pictures, too. And I can show this to management and tell them all about the paparazzi posing as an adorable schoolgirl outside. How about that walk?”

You bounced your knee a little, shifting your weight from one foot to the other before you nodded. 

Jungwoo offered you his arm and you curiously linked yours through, watching as he immediately softened and acted like this was just a fun night between two friends taking a walk in the nearby park, except you were still dressed in all black with your camera around your neck. 

“I did a little snooping of my own,” Jungwoo mentioned, “after I saw your badge the other night. You take really good photos. You don't need to be doing this gonzo work.”

“I'm good at it,” you shrugged, “and I need the credits in my resume.”

“Well how many more do you need?” He asked you. Jungwoo’s tone caught your attention -- he was sincere. He was honestly interested in why you were okay doing this. 

“I'll move on when I'm ready to move on--”

“You sure this isn't just easy?”

“Are you implying my work is degrading?”

“I'm saying your work is sleazy and gross,” Jungwoo huffed at you, “and I'd be a lot more attracted to you than I already am if you did work closer to your caliber.”

You paused, aghast. “Why aren't you more attracted to me as I am?”

“Because I've watched you follow us around for a week now, you didn't seem to have any problem watching me touch myself the other day, and I've never seen you without a camera.”

“If you're so disgusted by me, then why did keep going when I caught you?” You were challenging him now, squaring up against him as you passed a bench in the empty park, lit only by the moon through the clouds. You dropped your camera into your bag and set it on the bench before folding your arms spitefully. 

“I was having fun,” Jungwoo grinned, “I thought we were having fun.”

“Are you sure? Maybe you’re the actual sleaze.” You smiled, cocky and triumphant before Jungwoo shattered you with a laugh.

“And you didn’t catch me. I saw you skulking around backstage. I thought you’d like to come join me.” Jungwoo reached forward now, pulling your hand from your folded arms and clasping it to draw you close. Something felt a little electric as you found yourself being compliant. “I like this secret spy get-up on you, but I think I prefer the innocent look.” You watched, dumbfounded as Jungwoo’s hand cupped your face before he suddenly grabbed your chin. 

“Were you thinking of me looking innocent when you were jerking off?” You laughed nervously, eyes darting to make sure you actually were alone. 

“Of course I was,” Jungwoo nodded soberly, “it’s only been getting worse since I first noticed you stalking us. I want to pull on your pigtails and see you in that school sweater again.”

“I can go home and get it,” you sarcastically offered, looking for an opportunity to get out and keep this encounter from getting messy.

“And let you leave?” He shook his head. “Not when I have you right here and all to myself.” Jungwoo’s arms circled your waist and pulled you close. 

“What do you want?” You defiantly stammered. “Money? You want the photos I'm going to submit?”

“No,” Jungwoo smirked as he leaned his head in closer to yours, his lips barely hazing over yours, “I just want you to be good.”

“What?” You asked, barely a whisper, wanting to ask a million questions but nonetheless accepting when Jungwoo closed the gap between his lips and yours. He still held you close, nearly resembling two lovers in the park except you knew better, you knew what Jungwoo was chasing. You just had to decide to give it to him. You had to decide if you were okay feeling good when Jungwoo called you sleazy, if you enjoyed how he exposed you and made you feel vulnerable. 

“Touch me,” he ordered softly, despite his hands finally relinquishing you. He understood the choice he gave you in letting go: obey, or run and take a chance that he would rat you out. You could clearly see the proud smile spread across Jungwoo's face in the dark as you tentatively reached forward, pressing your hand to his chest and letting it drift down his lean figure, only hesitating when you neared the waistband of his jeans. “Are you afraid?” He asked, almost soothingly. 

“No,” you murmured, “just excited.”

Jungwoo’s hand closed around yours now, halting you. “Tell me why, first.”

“I'm curious about you,” you breathed, your hushed intrigue doing more than enough to let Jungwoo almost push your hand the rest of the way down to the button and zip of his jeans. 

“Good,” he praised sweetly, his chest rising and falling hard as you got your hand in his jeans and around his member. “Now admit you've been thinking about me.”

“Yes,” you exhaled, practically trembling from excitement as Jungwoo turned you in his arms, pressing his length in your hand against the curve of your ass. “Ever since I saw it I've been thinking about…”

“Say it, cutie,” Jungwoo chuckled behind you, his lips trailing over the expanse of your neck.

“I've been thinking about your cock,” you admitted, and his member throbbed under your fingers as Jungwoo groaned. His own fingertips traveled around to your belly, dipping below your waistband to your quickly dampening heat. Your pussy accepted his probing fingers so easily it almost felt like a betrayal. 

“And did you do anything about it?” He asked curiously.

“Not yet,” you shook your head. 

“Awh, poor baby,” Jungwoo laughed, “too busy following us around? You've only had time to think about this?” He snickered at your pathetic nod as he ground his hips against your massaging grip. “You know, beautiful, you look just as filthy as I thought you would be like this.”

You earnestly nodded in agreement -- you did look filthy like this, knees squeezed tightly together with Jungwoo’s hand in your dark jeans and yours wrapped around his cock behind your back. 

“Oh, sweetheart,” Jungwoo smiled, “do you like that? Do you like being filthy?” He smirked at your renewed nod as his fingers massaged your wet pussy. “Then you're definitely my filthy girl. How about slutty? Are you my slutty girl?”

You swallowed hard at Jungwoo's teasing and deliciously embarrassing words. Were you a slutty girl? Maybe you could be, just for tonight. You didn't even realize you were nodding again and again before Jungwoo spanked your ass with a laugh. “Then I should give my slutty girl what she's begging for.”

Jungwoo’s hands pressed down on your shoulder blades, pushing you down to bend over the park bench as he swiftly yanked down your jeans and panties. Then he paused. 

“Put me inside you,” Jungwoo encouraged. You swallowed down a nervous gulp as you massaged his length in your hands a couple more times. You prodded the head of his cock against your entrance, quietly moaning and whimpering under your breath as you worked him inside you. “Oh, princess,” Jungwoo cooed, “my perfect, slutty princess. Now work your pussy for me.”

You nodded, overwhelmed by your own desire and compulsion to please Jungwoo. Fucking him was like nothing you’d ever experienced, where this was almost fun, like it was a game, and you had a chance to win. You pressed your hands to the cold park bench and worked your hips back, thrusting your pussy down around Jungwoo’s thick cock before he spanked you again. 

“You're good at that,” he teased, “maybe we should make this a regular thing, where you can show me everything you can do.”

“Well, what about tonight?” You asked, finally piping up. 

“Tonight,” Jungwoo began thoughtfully, “now that we've warmed up, you just have to take it.”

Before you could question any further, Jungwoo pulled out, his absence within you immediately felt. He turned you both, seating himself on the park bench and hauling you down perpendicularly on lap, hooking an arm under your leg to easily hoist you up and seat you on his cock. His lips searched for yours in the dark before he eagerly bounced you on his length, his hips bucking and rolling hard up against yours. 

“You like it, right?” He asked so sweetly, his big smile at your exhausted nod making your heart throb. “How should I finish?”

“After I do, for starters,” you giggled, and his laugh combined with yours proved that this was just fun and games when all was said and done, that Jungwoo had no intent of turning you in despite any reservations he may have had about your job. His fingers cradled your chin as he kissed you, before they traveled down between your breasts, taking a moment to tease your nipples through your shirt before dipping down between your legs and continuing to rub your soaked clit again. 

Picking up where he left off, and now doing all the work, it was incredibly easy to feel your orgasm coming on. Despite every tiny dissenting voice in your head telling you that this was too public, too obscene, Jungwoo held you close, almost cradling you as he fucked you through your hushed orgasm sending sparks along your nervous system. He slowed his hips under where you were seated side-saddle, kissing your face as you calmed down. 

“My gorgeous, filthy princess,” Jungwoo praised as he pressed his lips to your temple, “cumming all over my cock out here.”

“What about you now?” You asked, still panting as you caught your breath. 

“What about me?”

“Don't you want to cum?” You asked curiously. 

“Sure I do,” he nodded, “and I'm sure I will. I'm just having fun doing this with you.”

“Then maybe,” you teased as you returned the kiss to his forehead, “I can come up with an idea myself.”

“Oh?” Jungwoo smiled, watching with piqued interest as you fought your shaky legs to stand back up, sliding your panties and jeans off over your shoes and dropping them beside him. You were already this exposed, you figured. The cool night air tickled your half-bared body and only reminded you how public this was, but it only encouraged you more. Making sure you had steady footing, you climbed back onto Jungwoo’s lap, now squatting over his length with your feet planted on either side of his hips as you steadily slid him back inside you. 

“I'm thinking I'm not the only filthy one if you like this so much,” you smirked playfully, enjoying his low groans from your tight walls massaging his length as you worked a good rhythm on him. 

“I’m thinking you're right,” he chuckled, moaning and whimpering as you varied your pace, occasionally stopping altogether or even grinding your pussy down hard on his cock before you suddenly pulled off. Jungwoo whined with a desperate laugh as he bucked into the air, trying to get back into you. “No no, you don’t get to do that, I love it,” he begged. 

“Say it again,” you demanded, riding him hard for a moment and doing it all over again, pulling your soaked pussy back off of him.

“Please please please,” he whimpered as he fucked into the air, “bring it back, you're working me up too fast to be a tease like this.”

“Are you sure?” You asked sweetly before you repeated the routine once again. 

“Yes!” Jungwoo gritted through his teeth as he gripped onto the park bench. “Please, princess, make me cum.”

“Whatever you want,” you smiled, pressing a kiss to his forehead once more before climbing off his lap altogether. Jungwoo almost sputtered, not understanding until you sank to a squat in front of him and took his cock deep between your lips, your tongue massaging his length as you hungrily sucked on him. 

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Jungwoo panted, “it’s not as good as your pussy but it’s so, so good, baby.”

You pulled off his cock with an audible pop, your hand picking up where you left off and jerking his length.

“Well, maybe next time you can bring a condom next time you ambush me.”

“If it’s going to be like this, I'll do whatever you want,” Jungwoo laughed exhaustedly as he tried not to thrust into your mouth when you sucked him back between your lips. His fingers stroked into your hair, keeping his wavering touches gentle until he gripped at his thigh, seemingly warning you of his impending orgasm. 

Your suspicions were confirmed a moment later as Jungwoo let his head loll back with the force of his orgasm, his cum spilling into your throat and down your chin for you to hungrily drink down. Jungwoo melted into the bench, catching his breath as you stood back up, stretching your legs and quickly pulling your panties and jeans back on. 

It was odd, thinking of something to say as Jungwoo finally came back to life and gently stowed his cock back into his pants. You liked him, and you wanted more, but neither of you were hardly in any position to be trying to make this a real thing. At least, not a committed thing. 

“So, I guess we should never do this again,” Jungwoo sighed with a disheartened grin. You thought hard about this, about him. 

“I'm not sure,” you settled on. “You can ask me at the SM company dinner next week I'll be covering.” You softly cupped Jungwoo’s humbly triumphant face as you grabbed your bag before shouldering it and leaving in the quiet night. 

[jeanvaljean24601]

Get a case to protect your Galaxy A50 from scratches or cracks

Samsung's mid-range smartphone options have typically been less than impressive, but with the Galaxy A50, the company's finally crafted a handset that doesn't skimp out on presentation or features while coming in at a price tag that everyone can get behind. If you have the A50 or plan on getting it, we recommend checking out any of the below cases to keep the phone safe and secure for years to come.

The Galaxy A50 is a no-nonsense phone that offers a great user experience without any big compromises. In the case world, that's precisely what the Spigen Rugged Armor sets out to do. It has a simple, yet effective design, shock-absorption technology, and raised edges over the display to prevent unwanted scratches.

Otterbox has been in the case game for awhile and the Commuter series is one of the most popular. With the Galaxy A50, you get a two-piece case with a TPU inner shell, and a hard polycarbonate outer shell. This combination makes for a great way to keep your Galaxy A50 safe from any drops that may occur.

The SupCase Unicorn Beetle Pro is one of the best options for people who regularly drop their phones. The Beetle Pro has multiple layers comprised of both TPU and polycarbonate, along with a rotatable belt holster. SupCase has even built-in a kickstand on the case, while still making it slim to enough to wirelessly charge your Galaxy A50.

Samsung's A50 is a good-looking phone, and as such, we wouldn't blame you if you want to show its design off to the world. With the Spigen Liquid Crystal Case, you can allow its natural beauty to shine through while still keeping it as safe as can be. The four corners are reinforced with drop resistance, there are precise port cutouts, and a raised lip over the screen.

Have a tendency to drop your phone? Like, a lot? If so, the Poetic Rugged Case is a great choice. The dual-layer design offers ample protection for the A50, with the case being shock-, drop- and scratch-proof. There's also a built-in screen protector to prevent the phone from turning into a shattered mess, along with a kickstand on the back.

There's no denying that the A50 is an eye-pleasing phone, but if you find yourself getting tired of its design for whatever reason, the Anccer Colorful Series is a great way to change up its aesthetic in the blink of an eye. Available in red, blue, green, pink, and black with a thin 0.3mm body, this is an excellent option for minimal protection and maximum style.

Combining a clear case and rugged protection into one sleek package, the Ringke Fusion-X continues to be one of our top case recommendations year after year. The protective bumper offers increased drop resistance, a dot matrix pattern on the clear portion prevents unwanted rainbow effects, and there's a hole for attaching a lanyard.

ZIZO's Bolt line of cases is military-grade tested exceeding the 810.1-G Military Drop Test standards, which is rather impressive for a case like this. The Bolt is surprisingly slim, while sporting a tempered glass screen protector, and even a holster clip. ZIZO also offers five different colors along with having a built-in kickstand on the back of the case.

VRS Design Slim Premium Wallet Case.Wallet cases are great, but more often than not, they take the form of bulky folio designs. With this case from VRS Design, the hidden sliding door on the back allows you to store two cards and some cash discretely. The case itself is also pretty slim and offers drop, scratch, and stain resistance.

Poetic Guardian Rugged Clear Case.With the Poetic Rugged Clear Case, you're getting an incredibly well-built package that will ensure your Galaxy A50 stays in great shape for years and years. It's military-grade drop tested, has a clear polycarbonate back, comes with multiple accent color options, and has a built-in screen protector to ensure you get full 360-degree coverage.

If you love the Galaxy A50 but feel like it could use a little more pizzaz, the Spigen Liquid Crystal Glitter is a great choice. The clear TPU material is slim, lightweight, and keeps the A50 safe from daily wear and tear. The star of the show, however, is all of the glitter that gives the A50 an extra bit of pop we think you'll love.

Nobody likes when their phone falls out of their hands and the Ghostek Covert helps to combat this. The soft TPU bumper helps make sure that your Galaxy A50 doesn't slip out, along with the patterned finish on the back and sides of the case. With the Covert, you'll also get raised edges to keep your screen from getting those annoying micro-scratches.

Starhemei is known for making a wide-array of cases, but its TPU cases are some of the best. This Silicone Cover features added padding on all four corners to go along with the non-slip grip thanks to the material. There are even 15 different case patterns to choose from.

Having a phone case that is sleek, protective, and flashy is not a combination that you'll find very often. The Dzxouui Sparkle Case, it combines all of these with improved grip along the edges to go along with added material and protection around all four corners. The best part is that you'll have hearts moving around and sparkling in the light as you use your phone.

The Incipio NGP case doesn't add a lot of bulk to your Galaxy A50, but is flexible enough for easy installation. This wrap-around design is also perfect to protect your phone from drops. And with the two-toned finish, you'll get some added grip to keep your phone in your hands.

If we had to choose,the Galaxy A50 has an impressive selection of available cases. If you're having trouble deciding which one would be a good fit, we'd recommend going for the Spigen Rugged Armor. Its design isn't the flashiest out there, but it excels thanks to its surprising durability, slim and lightweight design, and affordable price.

If you tend to be a bit rougher on your phones, something like the Poetic Revolution Rugged Case is likely a better fit. The dual-layer design offers more all-around protection, and with a built-in screen protector, you never have to worry about shattering the A50's screen. h96 tv box

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we really like the Anccer Colorful Series if you only need basic coverage from daily wear and are primarily after a super-thin case that can quickly add a splash of color to the A50.